A fire in silver eyes
by midnight13731
Summary: Rivera Woods just wanted to escape. Only, when she was given a chance, it was an escape for her life. A letter changed that. And then, she met Mr. Snape. Rated due to Abuse warning.
1. Chapter 1

_It has been a long time, hasn't it? This is not the only fanfiction I have worked on, but it is the most current. I know I have a few stories that need to be updated and some that none of you have even seen yet that need to be uploaded, but call me coming back a Christmas present to you all. I turned 17 in July, how bizarre is that? How long have I been writing now?_

_Those of you that have visited my DeviantART account know that I never stopped writing. I don't think I have it in me to just stop._

_So here it is, the first thing I have uploaded in over a year. Enjoy._

_Warnings: Abuse of a minor in the physical, emotional and mental sense. This is some very serious stuff I'm writing here, folks. And for anyone out there - god forbid - that is being abused; pick up a phone and call someone, anyone, because you don't deserve it and you never will. And if you don't quite have the courage to do that, I respond to every PM I get, and I will always be here._

_Notes: This story is based around an OC of my own creation, she and her life belongs to me but anything related to the world of Harry Potter does not. And I own the image used as the 'bookcover' on this fanfiction, it is, infact, of my own eye. Just very, very edited._

_-Midi x_

* * *

**_~A fire in silver eyes~_**

**_Chapter 1_**

* * *

It was always so cold here. Some nights, her body would shiver uncontrollably and wouldn't stop. Perhaps that's why she couldn't sleep well anymore? Or perhaps not. She wouldn't be able to say. No one ever told her anything. She was kept in the dark, with hardly any contact to the outside world other than school and chores. They didn't want her to attend a school, they didn't want her to have anything, she was a burden, a _freak._ No one wanted her, she didn't need to exist.

She'd tried to go away once, far, far away, where no one could come after her. It hadn't worked. The wounds had closed up too quickly. She didn't try again. They never found out, or if they did, they didn't care.

Rivera Woods didn't know much about herself, but she knew a lot about the world. The world was unkind and people were cruel and she would give anything, _anything_, to just get away from it all. And that's how her day began; with her wishes and her hopes and suddenly-

"_FREAK! Get up HERE!"_

_-They stopped._

As she walked through the darkness of the basement, towards the cracked, stony stairs, she thought back to when she was younger.

* * *

_"Sir, where are my parents?" A timid four-year old asked._

_A big, fat man with piercing eyes and a set scowl on his face peered down at the young child and sneered._

_"Dead. Just like you should be. You worthless child. We didn't even want you. No one did. But once they found out you had some living relatives, we had no choice. You're not wanted here. So you'll earn your keep."_

_And just like that, she was dragged into the kitchen to make lunch again. This life was all the child knew, and four years of it, meant that she never knew anything else._

* * *

Rivera's silver eyes shone through the darkness of the basement as she climbed the uneven and seemingly endless stairs. Her leg screamed at her as she forced herself to try and even out her weight. Her ribs jarred with each step, and her fingers bled with the effort of holding onto a stony wall. Her adoptive 'parents' had always hated her eyes, they said that was the reason she had no friends and that, that was why they wouldn't let her go out to town with them. They didn't want their own friends to think they had a freak living with them. But Rivera relied on them, without her eyes to see in the darkness... She knew she'd go insane.

They hadn't always called her a freak, at first; she just wasn't wanted. But one time, the first time, she'd fallen over outside while weeding the garden and her knees had gotten badly grazed. Vicki – one of her adopters – had come outside and witnessed the wounds closing themselves up. It all went downhill from there and her and Micheal said if she ever did anything freakish around them, she wouldn't like the consequences.

It turns out the consequences were not at all well liked. No food, being beat until she couldn't get back up. She'd never fight and usually, She'd eventually be shoved back into the basement. It was always at that point that Rivera was grateful for the small pathway between the door and stairs of the dark room, a broken bone never healed as fast as her small cuts.

Entering the kitchen, Rivera quickly lowered her arm from her ribs and turned a corner to be met by two pairs of angry eyes.

"About time! Now make breakfast and clean up the mess you make!" Micheal shouted, his face turning red with effort from shouting.

"Yes, sir." The silver-eyed girl said quietly.

Rivera's short black hair fell into her face as she worked around the hot stove. The bangs of her layered hair cut, often got into her eyes while she was bent over, doing any household task. She liked her hair, it was the one thing that her adoptive parents had no control over. They'd tried cutting all of it off once, it grew back the next day. Her hair was choppy and midnight black, its ends brushing her should blades. It fell forward as she moved around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for breakfast.

The girl of eleven was used to the heat but she hated the anxiety and fear that came with every task she was given in the house. It always felt like Micheal and Vicki's eyes were boring into her, watching her every move and just waiting for a single, minor mistake to be made. Her jeans barely stayed up as she moved around the stove, they weren't brought for her, just found, abandoned, they were her only pair. Her shirt almost got caught in the flames as she cooked, it was almost in shredded. They'd found it in a dumpster for her.

Today was not her day. The smoke from the frying pan hit her senses all too slowly and suddenly, a heavy hand had hit her, her back slamming into the table that was directly behind her. All the breath was cast out of her and her ribs cried out in protest. The frail girl gasped in pain, her limbs locking themselves up in shock as Micheal towered over her. She cowered by the table leg as he struck her, his curled brown hair hardly moving an inch. He screamed at her, his dark blue eyes wide with rage as he left marks upon her pale skin. Rivera didn't know when she'd started talking through the beatings, but through the barrage of blows, she often heard herself repeat a single word. And today was no different.

"Psā...Psā...Psā..."

Finally, it was over, and Rivera slumped to the tiled floor, unseeing, unmoving. Micheal gave her one last kick to the side and stormed out the house towards the car, Vicki following in a swirl of auburn hair, her dark green eyes never even resting upon her adopted child's form. Only once they were gone did the dark-haired girl stop whispering to herself.

Maybe hours, maybe only minutes later, the silver-eyed girl struggled to stand as she heard a faint tapping in the distance. She held onto every surface she could grasp to follow the telltale tapping upon glass that seemed to call her into the next room. There, in the window of the blank-looking living room, was a dark owl, tapping its beak against the glass near the handle of the window, as if asking to be let in. She ran her hands over her arms as she hobbled closer, feeling the blood come away from her skin where Micheal's rings had hit.

Rivera would never be able to tell anyone exactly what came over her in that moment, but in a swish of pure unconscious decision, she unlatched the window for the fluffy animal to come in. The graceful bird flew in and hovered just a few centimetres above her, and for the first time, she noticed something clutched in its talons. A letter. She reached out her slightly bloodied hands and grasped the envelope, reading the front in a daze.

_Miss Rivera Yume Woods_

_28 Elmstreet Close_

_Berkshire_

The pre-teen trembled as she looked at the letter. But she decided to wait until it was safe to open it, looking up, she saw the owl had left, a feather floating to the ground in its wake. Rivera picked up the feather and held onto it tightly as she closed the window. Walking back towards the door to her 'room' in the kitchen, she decided to hide away the feather and letter until tonight and clean up now, so that when Micheal and Vicki returned, they wouldn't be as angry and maybe she'd find some time later – when they were both asleep – to read the mysterious letter.

The young girl limped down the dark stairs of the basement, her eyes well adjusted after years of living in the cold, damp place. She hid the letter and the feather underneath the dirty, old mattress that lay against the dusty floor, right next to a stack of drawings from years gone by. Racing back upstairs, as fast as one with a possibly fractured leg could, Rivera immediately began wiping down the stove's surfaces from this morning's breakfast-gone-wrong, and moping the surrounding area of tiles from all grease and her own spilt blood. She straightened the table and did the dishes, and dusted every area in sight. If the kitchen was spotless, maybe Micheal wouldn't hurt her again today.

By the time she had finished her long task, her adoptive parents had returned home, Micheal took one look around the kitchen and nodded. Rivera let a small smile slip onto her face for a fraction of a moment as he turned around, but she knew the day was far from over.

* * *

The day had been terribly long, after Micheal had left the room, Vicki began to give the silver-eyed girl her chore list for the day.

_"Weed the garden, water the flowers, mow the lawn, wash the windows, hover the house – from top to bottom, make lunch, clean the oven, mop the kitchen floor, do the dishes, put on a load of laundry, dust the attic, iron and put away last night's clean clothes, peg out the newly washed clothes, make dinner, fetch in the clothes and once you're done, if you do everything, maybe you can have something to eat tonight."_

Now, after a week of being unable to eat a damned thing, Rivera would do anything for a crust of bread. So she obeyed, and by the time she'd finished, she was about to drag her weary body down a flight of stone stairs, but Vicki stopped her.

"You did a good job today. Here. This went out of date yesterday, you may eat this and have half a glass of water." The green-eyed woman said, a smirk on her rounded face, as she held out a paper plate with a stale roll of bread on it.

Rivera took the stale bread with a small "Thank you..." and poured herself half a glass of water in a plastic cup. Vicki didn't like it when the freakish child used their china, so she brought plastic cups and paper plates for when they actually decided to feed her.

As Rivera turned to go back down into the basement, she somehow managed a "Goodnight, Ma'am," despite how hoarse her voice felt.

An unusual child-like grin spread across Rivera's face as the door to the basement closed behind her. Her excitement compelled her to run as fast as she could without spilling or dropping any of the meager meal she'd been given while putting the least amount of weight that she could on her pained leg. She sprinted down the stairs and across the basement to her worn mattress in mere moments. Putting the food aside, she picked up the torch that she'd found while cleaning out the shed a few months ago and clicked it on. Her silver eyes searched under the mattress for the feather and the envelope and the smile grew wider once she came to the realisation that the letter was real.

Sitting on the ripped bedding, Rivera propped up her bad leg as she felt pain course through it. The springs dug into her skin but she ignored them and turned the letter over in her hands. A scripted 'H' was imprinted in red wax on the back of the envelope, sealing it shut. It seemed a shame to break the beautifully crafted seal, but Rivera couldn't wait any longer. Cracking the seal, she lifted up the lip of the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment within. Rivera took a few deep breaths as something surged through her, and she unfolded the fragile paper in her hands. She held her breath as she read the contents, something within her filling with hope again.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Woods,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. For those from non-magical families, the owl that delivered this letter will be awaiting your response from your rooftops._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Food forgotten, Rivera sat in a daze, her fingers grasping the letter, determined not to let go. She looked up towards the small, high window that was built into the basement's stony walls and for the first time in years, a fire lit in her silver eyes.

* * *

_I sincerly hope that you all liked the first chapter of this fanfiction and that I've gained some readers willing to see where this story will go. I will be updating soon and I am already working on the next chapter. Until next time, my friends._

_-Midnight13731 xxx_

_~Please review~_


	2. Chapter 2

_From your point of view this is two updates in two days, but in England, I actually have updated twice in the same day - the first just after 4am this morning and the second (this one) around half 10 in the evening. Wonderful! I do believe I am doing quite well. I am enjoying writing this fanfiction so far and believe that I've spaced it out quite well, I'm just hoping it doesn't end up rushed in later chapters._

_Thank you to nightworldangel who has been my first fave and follow for this story! Thank you so much!_

_And with that done, on with the fanfiction~_

_~Midi~ xx  
_**  
**

* * *

**~A fire in silver eyes~**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Rivera pulled herself up from the broken down mattress with an energy she hadn't felt in the years that she had come to stay with Micheal and Vicki. Reaching down, she pulled open the zip to the bedding that moments ago she had sat on in shock, and pulled out a snapped, blunt pencil. The silver-eyed girl picked up a piece of her unused paper, it was dusty and partially ripped, but it would have to do. Perching back on the edge of her so-called bed, she once again took in the letter from Hogwarts, hanging on every word and pleading for inspiration.

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_I would love to accept this placement at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

The eleven-year-old stopped, thinking about how childish that sounded, she needed to sound more mature than that, this letter was her only – and perhaps – last chance. She had questions, and only this Deputy Headmistress could answer them. Rivera recalled all the information that she had so painstakingly gained at school. She had loved it there, the teachers were kind and her English professor had loved reading everything that the young girl wrote. Her Art teacher had often complimented on her drawings and the realism of them, but, of course, Micheal and Vicki knew nothing of this. The downside to excelling in school was that the students were not entirely pleased with the 'new girl' gaining attention.

So, with an inspiration that she hadn't managed to gain all Summer, Rivera wrote, and the words flowed onto the page as if she were possessed, and nothing around her would disturb her trance.

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_I would be delighted to accept this placement at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there is, however, a problem that must be addressed._

_I have no way to reach the area in which this establishment is._

_Is there, perhaps, anyway, that you could give me any directions?_

_Oh, yes, and there is but one more thing that will more than likely be a problem, the... Non-magical people I currently reside with will not be able to fund me in any way. Is there, maybe, a type of bursary that your school has?_

_I'm awaiting your reply, please be as swift as possible._

_Miss Rivera Y. Woods._

As Rivera re-read her own work, she let a smile reappear on her face. The paper held a lot of dust and possibly a few too many bloodstains, but her 'bath' wasn't due for a couple more days. Rivera hoped that she would be leaving soon after that, she wanted to make a good first impression. Folding the letter into an envelope-like state, she sketched a '_R_' on the folding, adding, what she thought, was a professional but personal touch. On the other side of the folded paper, she wrote; in her best handwriting, an address.

_Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

The silver-eyed girl then sat in silence, listening for the noises of the floors above her. Micheal and Vicki were still awake, and that meant that she could do anything yet. Picking up the envelope from Hogwarts again, Rivera noticed the other piece of paper that resided inside. A equipment list, of a different sort, was written upon the yellowed-paper.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_UNIFORM_

_First-year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _

_by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic _

_by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory _

_by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration _

_by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _

_by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions _

_by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _

_by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection _

_by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS_

_ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

Looking the list over, Rivera couldn't help the nervous-excitement that gripped her very soul. Everything sounded so wonderful and untrue but she couldn't help believing in it all. It was something was compelling her to take this huge leap of faith. But it all sounded... So expensive. If this school of 'Witchcraft and Wizardry' couldn't help her, she wouldn't be able to go. And even if it was all fake, it was a chance to escape her miserable life... And perhaps but an end to it all together.

As Rivera scanned over the coursebooks that she would require, only a couple stood out to her. _Magical Theory, Magical Drafts and Potions_ and _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. _

The preteen loved theorising, it was brilliant to know how things worked and figuring them out for yourself. With theory, nothing was right, nothing was wrong. She couldn't be hit or starved for a wrong answer. Micheal seemed to like that game.

_Magical Drafts and Potions_ stood out the most to the young girl. When she was little, she would watch her classmates play 'Witch' and they would all make 'Potions' out of earth and water. She decided that potions must be the magical world's equivalent to some modern medicines. Rivera had never had medicine, she was always left to suffer as a child with fevers and colds. Even now, she still suffered with headaches, she wondered if potions could cure such things.

Now, the third book on Rivera's personal list, was one that she found strange. She wasn't so much interested in '_The dark forces_', but more the '_A Guide to Self-Protection_' that seemed to call out for her to learn about it. Rivera had never been able to protect herself, Micheal hit her, Vicki over-worked her, bullies cornered her. She was never safe. And sometimes, at night, the darkness in the basement seemed to enclose itself around her, and she could never escape.

It was a horrible feeling, being unable to fall asleep in a place with no light. The window was covered and so high up that it was of no use. It had long since been boarded and locked away, just like her. Sometimes, she thought she saw glimpses of light dance across the wall, but she'd blink and they would be gone again. Teasing her.

Every once in a while, she did dream. And the dreams haunted her. She drew pictures of them, wrote stories and poems about the things that she witnessed; the death, the destruction, the blood. Green flashed of light, the hissing of snakes, fire burning, always burning.

Somedays she wished that she could just fall into the dark pits of her dreams and never awaken to the hellish nightmare that was her life. Once she heard the shouts of the monsters that called her name from the higher floors of the dull house that she was forced to serve, she knew her dreams would die again. No hope, no light, only darkness and destroyed dreams

She has only, in her eleven years of life, recalled one good dream. It was a woman's voice, singing to her. A song that she found herself humming sometimes, for she could never remember the words. And suddenly, the singing stops, but she never sees a clear image. Just hears a woman explaining something to her.

_"You know, little one, your middle name... It means dream. Never forget. Keep dreaming. Let nothing stop you."_

And then the voice and the blurred image fades out and she'll wake back up to her nightmare and tears running down her face and she can't help but feel so incredibly sad about her only happy dream. For it's the only one she's ever had.

She feels sad because she couldn't keep the silent promise she made to keep dreaming. Not here, not in this place of pitch black darkness where nothing moved and everything was eerily silent. She couldn't dream here; where she was beat for a single mistake, had her bones broken for forgetting chores or messing up meals. She couldn't dream here.

Rivera pulled out the pile of dusty, greying papers from beneath her bed. The images were still fresh in her mind, as if she'd only just woken up and drawn them. The words from the poems and stories jumped out at her on the page; fire, destruction, green-eyes, scales, black, darkness, no hope, death. The words seemed to crowd her. They held onto her conciousness and never let go.

_'Beneath the rubble there lies,_

_A pair of deadly, murderous eyes._

_Giant scales, dagger sharp,_

_Falling down; buildings dark.'_

The silver-eyed preteen re-read the verse that she had wrote only months ago. She wasn't always sure about the things she saw in her dreams. They seemed so frightening but so real. It was like being repeatedly stuck in a nightmare every day of her life, to carry around these memories of dreams that she wasn't sure existed or not.

"Psā!" Rivera hissed to herself, trying to stop the very thought process that she feared. She held her hands tightly around her ears, curling into herself.

She never realised that the word she spoke wasn't English. She said it often when Micheal was hurting her but had never stopped to contemplate it. This was another one of those times, as, finally, she heard silence from the above floors.

Walking cautiously towards the stone stairs, letter clutched in her hand, Rivera listened out for any disturbances in the night. Hoping that, just once, nothing would go wrong. She climbed the stairs, carefully, being mindful of her leg and ribs, moving cautiously so she didn't bump into the railing. Opening the door, she peered out into the darkness, silver eyes glowing in the night. The preteen walked towards the same window that she'd let the dark-coloured owl in front only hours before and quietly unlatched the window. The same owl hopped onto the windowsill and stared at her, grey eyes peering into her own.

Rivera took one last look at the letter and slowly placed it into the owl's talon. The owl looked at her, its eyes shinning, and it seemed to nod its head. The black-haired girl seemed to understand and quietly spoke to the winged creature.

"Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts."

The owl nodded again, eyes bright with understanding, and the creature flew out the window. Rivera found herself watching the magnificent bird soar across the sky with wonder. She started to contemplate a question that she hadn't asked herself in a very long time.

"What is it to be free?" She whispered to herself, fearful of waking the house's only two other occupants, and latched the window shut again, clearing all evidence that she'd ever been upstairs in the night.

Rivera limped back down the cold, cracked stone stairs of the basement, towards her bedding, and finally, sat down and began to eat the 'meal' she had been allowed. Sighing, she took a bit out of the stale bread roll, it scratched her throat as she swallowed, and she immediately took a sip of water.

It didn't take long for the food and water to disappear. Meals were scarce and often out-of-date. If not eaten on the day she was given them, they grew old, mouldy and uneatable. She'd learn that lesson quite quickly when she was younger. If the food is there, eat it before it's taken away. But she knew her limits, her stomach had shrunk from years of malnutrition, and she couldn't handle much more than what she'd eaten in the last few moments.

Rivera found herself awake that night, waiting. She knew it was illogical to wait for a letter in the dead of night but she found herself hoping that it would come, and as she lay down to at least rest her broken body, she dreamt. For the first time in years, she dreamt of this wonderous place called Hogwarts. She didn't sleep that night, as that was all but normal for her now, but her imagination kept her awake, thinking of each new thing she may discover and the knowledge she will gain.

* * *

_Note: The Hogwarts acceptance letter and Equipment list are not mine, I got them from one of the Harry Potter Wiki sites._

_I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and now has a little more insight into the life of Rivera Woods._

_Until next time,_  
_~Midi~ xxx_

_Please review._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey again, guys! Gosh, I can't remember updating this much when I was younger! I hope you enjoy the new chapter and I'm happy to say that I've gained another follower, so thank you to FonzFan for following!_

_Note: The Professors may seem OOC here? But that's how I'm writing them. My story and all that._

_Warnings: There's a significant amount of an abuse warning needed for this chapter, and also, some of it is quite descriptive... So if you're uncomfortable with that, the best advice I can give you is to read ahead. And for those who find this triggering, make yourself safe before reading and everyone remember what I said in the first chapter; my PM box is always open if you need to talk._

_And with that not-as-short-as-it-was-going-to-be author's note, enjoy the new chapter!_

_~Midi~ xx_

_UPDATE NOTE: Sorry about the re-sub, guys, I realised that it was 'The Knight Bus' and not 'The Night Bus' and that's it's purple and not red. Woops. This is what I get isn't it? 3am-mistakes. Xp  
_

* * *

**~A fire in silver eyes~**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Professor McGonagall stared in shock at the pencil-scrawled letter addressed to her that lay open on her desk. She plucked the letter from the paperweight's hold and raced towards the Headmaster's office. Saying the password, she willed the statue to turn quicker and as her eyes came in contact with Albus Dumbledore's office door, she breathed a sign of relief.

"Albus!" Minerva burst into the room, seeing that Severus was also in the Headmaster's office, she counted her luck.

Albus Dumbledore stood at attention, staring at the transfiguration teacher that had burst into his office, beside him, Severus raises an eyebrow in confusion. The Gryffindor head, lay the letter she held tight in her grasp on the desk for both of them to see.

"No child should be able to write like this, Albus, and look, _look!_ There's bloodstains on the paper! It's covered in dust! What is this? What is this child's home life like?!" Minerva exclaimed.

Severus seemed to take one last glance at the blood on the dirty paper before looking the Headmaster dead in the eye and stating, "I want to be the one to escort her."

A shine came to Albus' eyes, one that only came when he saw Severus helping another potentially abused child, like himself.

"Of course, my dear boy." Albus replied, a twinkle in his eyes. He then directed his speech towards the frantic teacher in the room, "Minerva, if you'd so kindly write back to the young lady about this, give her direction via the Knight Bus to The Leaky Cauldron and grant her the Hogwarts Bursary access, it would be most helpful."

Professor McGonagall looked absolutely thrilled as she replied, "Of course, Albus. And Severus, do keep an eye on the poor girl?"

At the Slytherin head's nod, Minerva left the office and Severus followed her out shortly after, a hand curled under his chin in thought.

* * *

For once, Rivera was glad that she was always the first awake in the house so that she could start breakfast and set the table for the morning. As soon as she reached the top of the stone stairs, she could hear the tell-tale tapping of a beak on the living room's window. Her excitement rose at the quick reply and she practically sprinted on elf-like feet towards the noise.

Seeing the same owl in the window, Rivera took a moment to take in its exact colouring as she unlatched the small metal handle. The dark owl was dark grey in colour, at first sight, but looking closer, Rivera could see the white flecks that feathered through its coat, giving the friendly owl a snow-fallen appearance. The silver-eyed preteen could easily describe the owl's coat as a dark winter's night when the snow fell lightly but didn't stick to the ground. Rivera couldn't help but wonder if the owl would let her stroke him as a thank you.

Finally getting the stiff latch undone, Rivera gently took the note from the owl's grasp and cautiously smoothed down some of the feathers on the creature's head. The owl seemed to enjoy the attention and moved closer to the touch, keeping deathly quiet, as if the bird knew that the house was dangerous for the young girl.

Rivera once again watched as the creature flew through the bright morning sky, the sunrise only just beginning to chase away the darkness of dawn. The same thoughts of freedom from the night before raced through her mind as she watched the powerful wings of the bird that she'd seen for the past two days now. The dark-haired girl took a deep breath and raced back down to the lower levels of the house as fast as her limp leg could carry her. She rid the note in the same place as the first one, it had always served her well as a hiding place, never revealing her secrets, never showing the monsters in her house her deepest kept thoughts.

The preteen walked much slower back up the stairs, not wanting to aggravate her injuries. She'd hidden her first draft back to Hogwarts in the Kitchen bin, hoping it was never found but she knew that if she didn't start breakfast now, time would run out and Micheal would be awake. Rivera hated mornings, Micheal was never in a good mood, the only plus side she found was that neither of the utter idiotic people she lived with were very coherent in the mornings. Rivera stopped still at the stove when that thought crossed her mind. It had been years since she'd negatively spoken of Micheal and Vicki; she was always too afraid, even in her own head. Micheal had ways of finding out things, ways she didn't like, ways that hurt. Rivera reluctantly started breakfast and lay out the table, hoping that her keepers would be in a good mood this morning.

It seemed her luck had run out.

Micheal stomped into the room, face red in anger and frustration. He hated Mondays and always woke up and got ready in a huff. He then came down and took out his dislike on the poor girl he so painstakingly adopted. But it was when he came right up next to her as she was about to turn off the gas-ring on the stove, that she almost feared for her life.

The brown-haired excuse of a man took the silver-eyed girl's right hand and plunged it into the fire, Rivera knew better than to scream but she couldn't face the pained look that overtook her entire face. Her skin burned quickly, her pale hands instantly becoming red and black. Her skin burned off in some places, peeling and quickly dying, turning to a charcoaled mess in the flames. Tears of utter agony swelled up in the dark-haired girl's eyes and she looked away at the mess that was her burning skin.

Finally, Micheal pushed her back into the table, the same as he had only days before and let her there, staring at the mess that was her hand. She tested it out slightly, hoping it wasn't too badly damaged and almost sighed in relief when she could just about move her limbs. The fat man looked at her with disdain and snarled.

"Now go and wash off, you sorry excuse for a child."

Rivera counted her blessings that the man was tired, he could have come up with much worse than that as an insult. The pain didn't distract her from her task, though, as she ventured outside and started to strip of her clothing. She almost got the feeling sometimes that she was being watched, Micheal had never touched her but she felt overly nervous around him. She'd caught him a few times, watching her, but she was never sure why. She hated his eyes on her, they made her feel like she'd never be whole again.

Turning on the watering hose, Rivera washed down her entire body, marveling at the scars, bruises and bloody injuries she found. The skin around her ribs had almost completed turned purple along what she guessed was the bottom two bones on both sides, her legs were a mess of scars and bruises, her left leg bearing the newest injury which was swollen and almost black. Her torso and arms carried numerous colours of painful shapes and she was scarred from the many wounds she'd accumulated over the years. Knifes, the stove, fists, legs, the ground, the table, the stairs... These things had hurt her body.

Her ribs protruded against her skin, she was malnourished and underweight. Her face was almost hollow and the few times she'd seen her reflection, dark circles drew heavy lines beneath her eyes. You could feel every bump of her spine beneath the skin on her back, it made her look almost skeletal. All this she contemplated as she ran her breakable fingers over her damaged self, and saw the bruises that decorated her skin.

Finally, she took in the blackened mess that used to be her hand, her pale, bloodied hand. The skin wasn't visible anymore, and, as she dressed in her rags again, she used the last of her remaining wash time cooling off her burned hand. It was agony, having the force of water rushing at the tattered skin. But she could think of no other way to avoid infection, even if it was bound to set in.

Turning the hose off, she slowly made her way back inside through the kitchen's sliding door. Her hair dried quickly due to it being short and the summer heat beaming down on her. But once she saw the rage in Micheal's eyes, she wished she'd stayed outside and started her garden chores. He was holding something. The first draft of the letter she sent back to Hogwarts. Her eyes widened with fear.

"What is this? You FREAK." Micheal's eyes blazed with fury, backing her into a corner against the wall between the kitchen and the basement. "Who have you been writing too? What have you been doing?!"

He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, and her head hit off the wall. Her ribs protested in agony and her leg started to give way, but as she felt herself falling, the monster holding her wrapped his oversized fingers against her neck and tightened.

"TALK!" He screamed in her face, she could see the rage building in his purpling face as she gasped for air.

Vicki stood just a few steps away, a blank look on her face, uncaring. She was used to her husband's wrath and never bothered to try to stop him. She was just as much of a monster as he was, allowing these things to happen to a child.

Rivera felt her airways completely close off, and just as the black spots of unconsciousness filled her darkening sight, the nightmare before her realised her frail neck and she fell to the ground, coughing, spluttering, gasping in any air she could take in.

Micheal seemed to stand above her for a few moments, raging, his anger never subdued, only delayed. He picked the silver-eyed preteen back up by the rags of the back of her shirt and began screaming at her again.

"You no-good, ungrateful, excuse for a human! We took you in, a FREAK, in our own home, we clothed you and let you bathe! We fed you!" His words swirled around her in her half-conscious state as he carried her towards the basement door.

She struggled in his grip, never protesting, but at the least, trying to breathe.

"And this is how you repay us? By writing to some freaky school for abnormal people behind our backs?!"

She could feel his heavy steps as they ventured into the dark.

"Well. Try writing to them now!"

And Rivera felt herself falling, tumbling down the cold, hard stone steps of the basement that she'd so often walked up and down. Her left arm took most of the punishment as she rolled and she felt the snap. Her shoulder hit the step badly and she cried out from the combinations of pain, no longer would her screams go unheard.

As she fell to the bottom, the never-ending motion stopping, she heard the door slam from above, and she closed her silver eyes in pain. Willing for the darkness to take her. It didn't.

* * *

Hours passed, she wasn't sure how long, but the small crack of light from the boarded window was strong enough to see today, and the light had faded from yellow to white. Rivera dragged herself up from the dusty floor, crawling towards her mattress in the darkness. She found the flash light and switched it on with one hand, her left arm lay limp at her side. She heard no sounds from upstairs and knew that the demons upstairs had fallen to sleep while she had lay unconscious.

Rivera took the un-opened envelope from under the broken mattress and carefully held it in her burnt hand, ripping the seal open with her teeth. She slipped the parchment out and held the torch in her mouth while she read.

_Dear Miss Woods,_

_Thank you for your swift reply and your acceptance of your placement. In regards to your questions, they are not at all a problem, we have a few students each year with such predicaments. Hogwarts does indeed have a bursary system, see enclosed a note signed by both myself and the Headmaster which you can show to pay for all purchases necessary to your education; this includes travel, clothing, books, equipment, food, your wand, trunk and if you wish, any needs your familiar or pet may have._

_Directions to The Leaky Cauldron – where we are sending our own Potions Master, Professor Snape, to pick you up and escort you around Diagon Alley (this is where you will find all the things you need for Wizarding and the like) and then take you to the train you will board for Hogwarts._

_Do not worry about the expenses and this is no trouble at all, as I said, we have a few cases every year and some Professors have already been sent out to pick up students like yourself._

_Directions to The Leaky Cauldron:_

_Please exit your house at night and walk down the street where it is the least crowded, the further away you walk, the easier the Knight Bus will find you._

_A purple triple-decker bus will stop beside you and a conductor will be waiting by the entrance to the bus and tell you that it is 'The Knight Bus, transport for lost Witches and Wizards', climb aboard and the conductor will give you a ticket and ask where you want to go. Simple state 'The Leaky Cauldron' and the bus will take you there._

_We will have one of the staff from The Leaky Cauldron come out and meet you and take any bags you may have, he or she will then escort you to a free room – please show the check-in desk the Bursary notification letter enclosed to pay – and once we know that you have checked in, Professor Snape will be waiting downstairs the next morning. He is a tall man, with pale skin, shoulder-length black hair and wears black robes that seem to billow behind him._

_If you have any aliments or questions, he will be able to help. Trust him._

_I look forward to meeting you, Miss Woods._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

By the time Rivera had finished, she'd started to cry. She couldn't believe her luck, and these people were sending the one man she wanted to meet ever since finding out about having a Potions course. A man she felt she could trust. Finally, she could escape, and this nightmare could be over... For now at least. Looking around, she noticed the small black bag and hooded jacket she'd salvaged from the streets a couple of years ago were still waiting in the corner. When she was smaller, she'd seen them lying there on the way to school, just outside her house and had thrown them over the fence to the house's back garden until she could hide them later. They'd been lying there ever since.

She limped over to the dusty items and slowly slipped the jacket over her broken arm, she owned no medical equipment to do anything about any of her injuries, so they were left alone. She took the bag over to her bed and took all the papers out from under the mattress, along with the Hogwarts' letters and the feather she had gotten from the friendly owl she'd met, and folded the papers, pushing them inside the small side-body bag. Rivera hissed quietly as the rough bedding and dust stung her burnt hand. Ignoring the pain, she gently placed the feather in the zip pocket to the bag and pulled it shut. Lastly, she placed the newest letter from Hogwarts in the bag, along with the broken pencil that she owned and clasped the bag shut.

The only thing that remained in the dark room was her bed, the torch which she still held firmly between her teeth and the Bursary information that was inside the newest Hogwarts envelope. Rivera folded the Bursary letter and pushed it inside her trouser's pocket. Taking the torch, she carefully switched it off, bathing the room once again in utter blackness, and pushed it into the slot on the side of her small bag.

She took one last look around the room, and knowing that she had everything she owned, hobbled up the stone stairs that were most likely covered in her bloodstains and walked out of the basement, through the living room towards the front door. She left a single piece of paper by the phone and opened the door that led into the shoe area. There, under a wooden shoe stand, was her old pair of black school shoes. They were tatted and worn but they were all she had. She cautiously opened the pristine white door, leaving behind a smudge of blood from over-using her blackened hand and stepped out of the front door. She didn't look back as the door shut behind her. And she hoped never to return there again.

The note she left had a single word etched onto it in pencil, blood surrounding it.

_'Goodbye.'_

* * *

_Wow. I can't explain how tired I am right now. And my wrist aches. Anyone know what that's about? -.-" Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter and that I'm doing well so far. Thanks for reading!  
_

_Until next time~_  
_~Midi~ xx_

_Please review._


	4. Chapter 4

_I'm so happy with how fast I'm updating! Sorry this one took a little longer, I made the chapter longer as an apology because I won't be able to update again until late on Saturday/very early Sunday morning. I'm going out Friday morning and that night I'm going to see The Hobbit ( again! :D ) and then a bunch of us are going back to a friend's house and watching all three extended editions of LOTR. So excited!_

_So yeah! Hope you enjoy the new chapter - lots of Hurt/Comfort in this one - and thanks to my newest follower TrashedAndScatteredSidewinde r! Wow! Long name! But I like it!_

_Note: OOCness in this chapter but you'll have to live with it~_

_Enjoy!_

_~Midi~ xx_

* * *

**~A fire in silver eyes~**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Rivera carefully pulled her jacket's hood up over her head as she staggered down the long, dark street. The black hood hid her features and flattened her hair infront of her glistening eyes. The walk was long, but in her head, she remembered Professor McGonagall's words.

_"The further away you walk, the easier the Knight Bus will find you."_

These words kept her going as she stumbled down the uneven pathways on the unknown streets that she now walked. The street lamps' lights seemed to get brighter the further away she got, as if lighting her way through the roads that she did not recognise in the dark. After wandering for a while, she spotted an old bench in the distance that seemed to glow under the golden lights. Her pulse raced as she sped up to reach it, and her body ached with the effort.

Sitting down on the cold bench, the wood barely even creaked beneath her weight. The silver-eyed preteen looked out into the darkness, waiting. It was then, that a strong wind passed and rustled all the plants around her, blowing the petals of July around her. The lights from the street lamps flickered above her and she watched with interest.

Suddenly, a huge bus was racing around the corner, its lights flaring brightly, and it parked right up next to her. Now that she had calmed herself slightly, she took in the features of the bus, it's dark purple colouring and it's triple-decker height. She smiled. This was it.

A man came out to stand at the entrance of the bus, holding onto the silver pole next to him. He was a young adult, no older than twenty. But she hung on every word as he spoke, and stood at attention in respect, some habits would not break so easily.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor this evening." The kind looking man with mousey-brown hair stated.

"H-hello." Rivera replied, kindly.

"And hello to you. Now come on, up you come." The conductor replied.

Stan seemed to notice the young girl struggle to step up onto the bus properly, and put a hand gently on her right should, wrapping his arm around her and giving her a helping hand up. The young man seemed to notice her flinch but ignored it in favor of getting the dark girl on the bus. He'd address it later.

"There you are. All right now? Right. Follow me..." He said, trailing off as he led her down to the front of the bus, near the driver's seat and gave her a small push onto the first bed.

Rivera took in her surroundings as she sat on the large bed. This bus was strange, unlike any she'd ever been inside. And the interior was much larger than she'd expected from the outside. The bus had two rows of beds, around ten altogether, that lined the edges of it. Each bed had a candle lighting it up and although the bus was empty besides herself and the obviously permanent small amount of staff, Rivera felt extremely safe. The oddest thing the young girl found was the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It looked strange but not out-of-place, it was like it gave the bus' passengers something pretty to look at. It was quite distracting.

The preteen focused back on the conductor just as Stan pulled off a ticket from his machine and handed it to the small girl. Rivera immediately took an interest in it and ran her scarred fingers over the writing before carefully shoving it into her small bag.

"Right, there's your ticket. Whereabouts are you heading?" Stan said, in a quieter voice, not wanting to startle the obviously injured girl after he'd seen her hand peaking from the confines of her oversized jacket.

"T-The Leaky Cauldron." Rivera stuttered out with a cracking voice, she immediately lowered her eyes from Stan's gaze.

Stan seemed to smile at the answer but the concern was detectable in his voice, "Right. The Leaky Cauldron it is." The man knocked on the driver's window, "Take it away, Ern!"

"Yeah! Take it away, Ernie!" A severed head called from the driver's rear-view mirror, Rivera did a double-take as she stared quizzically at the obviously Jamaican head. It had dark skin and long black-brown hair tied in dreadlocks.

Stan seemed to notice her look and took it upon himself to explain, "That's Dre Head, The Shrunken Head. He likes to tell jokes about heads and warns Ernie, that's the driver, about other buses and muggles crossing the road." Stan was silent as the bus started up and then thought it best to warn the girl, "You might want to hold on tight."

Rivera, to her credit, took in this information quite well, just nodding at Stan's explanation, as if she understood and accepted it completely. While the young girl took in the bus around her and held onto the bed post as the interior of the bus moved around, Stan couldn't help but take in her limp arm and burnt hand. He looked pointedly at the limbs and voiced his question.

"So. What's happened to you, then?"

The silver-eyed girl seemed to shrink in to herself at the simple question, she didn't know whether she should answer or not. But would the Deputy Headmistress have told her to take this route if it and the people on it, were not safe?

"It's nothing. I've had worse..." Rivera coughed, trying to cover her croaky voice up, "Don't worry about it."

Stan couldn't bring himself to believe the little girl's fake-looking smile.

"Your arm," He asked, "Can you move it at all?"

Rivera knew she couldn't, and began to wonder maybe if this man could help. She looked him in the eyes for the first time since meeting him and a smile formed on her lips at the kindness she could see in the young man's eyes and the way his expression didn't falter when he saw her strange coloured eyes. She knew they weren't normal. But he apparently didn't mind.

"No..." She answered, quietly, "No, I can't."

Stan motioned for the pale girl to take the jacket off but she seemed to struggle in doing so. The mousey-haired man slowly slipped it off her left shoulder and down her arm. The young man's eyes widened at the huge black-purple bruise that covered the span of the girl's fragile shoulder. Stan could see the bone jutting out of her skin in the wrong place and winced in sympathy.

"I can put this back in place but we don't have a medical kit on board... Who are you meeting in The Leaky Cauldron? One of the Hogwarts professors?" The man questioned, softly.

Rivera looked at Stan in surprise before answering, her voice cracking, "That's f-fine. I... I'm meeting... Professor S-Snape."

Stan seemed to like that answer, as a huge smile fell over his face while he examined her arm, "Wonderful! He's a good guy, that one. Potions master, y'know! And an accomplished Healer." Then, Stan frowned, "Your arm's broken in two places. They both feel clean but the most I can do here is bind it to the other side of your body."

"He sounds b-brilliant." Rivera smiled, "And I don't m-mind, th-thank you for h-helping me."

Stan's smile got brighter, "It's no problem, but I have to ask, what's wrong with your voice?"

Rivera smiled sadly, speaking even quieter as to avoid the cracks in her speech. "I don't know, I can't breathe properly, I think my airways were cut off for too long."

The conductor's smile fell and his eyes turned sad, "Professor Snape will be able to help with that too. May I?" He asked, motioning towards her limp arm, Rivera nodded and braced herself.

_Pop_

The sound echoed around the almost silent bus and Rivera grit her teeth against the pain. Stan quickly ripped a piece of a nearby bedding from a cot that had slid near to him, he bent the silver-eyed girl's arm and steadied it in the make-shift bandage, tying it off around her neck and slipping her jacket back over her shoulder. The kind man looked into the girl's eyes as they glazed over, drooping shut, and pushed her down into the covers of the bed she sat on.

"Go to sleep for a while, I'll be here and I'll wake you up when we arrive." Stan whispered, watching the girl's eyes slowly shut.

"You've helped me so much but you don't even know my name..." The dark-haired girl whispered back.

Stan decided to humour her, "What is your name then, little one?"

The preteen took a moment before answering in a sleepy voice, "It's Rivera."

* * *

Severus looked up at the empty painting as a person slowly re-appeared in the distance. Salazar Slytherin looked deadly serious as he scanned the room until he realised that the head of snakes was sitting, waiting for him.

"The Knight Bus called me over, you need to be at The Leaky Cauldron as soon as it's morning. The girl will be fine for the night, she needs to sleep but she also needs you to be there as soon as daylight hits." Salazar explained with an urgentcy that Severus hadn't heard in his voice in years.

The Slytherin head nodded and gave a small look of confusion at the painting, "Is it that serious? How badly hurt is she?"

The guardian of snakes sighed sadly, "Worse than anything we've seen in years, Severus. The girl has broken bones and one of her hands is completely burned. That's all I could see."

The Potions Master sucked in a sharp breath, "I won't be sleeping anytime soon with that picture in my head. Is she sleeping now?"

Salazar nodded, "And I think she will be for a while. The Knight Bus is taking their journey unusually slow. The staff are worried for her."

Severus looked very serious now and his eyes glazed over with concern. He'd never liked when they discovered another child being abused and almost all cases ended up in Slytherin. The man would be happy to have the girl but wasn't looking forward to their first meeting. Especially if it was going to be as bad as Salazar had found out.

The Knight Bus held a portrait for Salazar because of the amount of younger witches and wizards that used it. It was much easier to come into contact with the younger generations on the bus if they were having a difficult home life, because so many of them ran and found the bus. The conductor, Stan Shunpike, was also a Slytherin, albeit, with average magical skills. But he was extremely friendly and helpful, and that helped a lot of their abuse cases. He was also trained to notice and examine injuries.

The professor sat back down, wearily, on the couch. Salazar gave him a look. One Severus had seen so often that it was hard to not recognise it, and quickly waved off the concern.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." The Potions Master said quickly, "Just tired."

Salazar raised an eyebrow, "Well. I believe we have an accomplishment here. You rarely admit that."

Severus raised his own eyebrow at that comment, an elegant arch of black pushed against his forehead's skin. Salazar held his hands up in the universal gesture for peace.

"All right, all right, just... Off to bed with you. Go, go. You'll have a busy morning tomorrow." The founder of Slytherin said, "I'll keep an eye on Rivera, don't you worry."

"She has a pretty name, doesn't she?" Severus stated off-handedly.

"And beautiful eyes. I do believe she'll have you under a spell as soon as you meet her, Severus. She's quite the charming young girl, quiet and reserved but overall a happy spirit. Shame her parents didn't think so. We'll have to do something about that." Salazar commented.

Severus started to walk towards his bedroom, but turned slightly, not really directing his words at anyone. "Yes," he said, "we will."

* * *

Stan watched as Salazar's painting flashed to signal that the message had been completed. They were nearing The Leaky Cauldron and looking over, the conductor noticed Rivera stirring. The black-haired girl blinked her bleary eyes open in rapid succession, Silver eyes shinning beneath a glaze of tiredness.

"Evening, little one." Stan greeted, smiling.

Rivera smiled at the conductor and glanced out of one of the Knight Bus' many window, flicking her eyes back to Stan, she asked her silent question.

"We're a couple of minutes from The Leaky Cauldron, young lady, I've notified Professor Snape of our arrival and he'll meet you first thing in the morning." Stan answered to the unspoken question.

"Th-ank you, S-Stan." Rivera smiled.

"Now, one last thing before I help you off here, what's up with your leg?" Stan asked, worry soaking through his voice. For as long as he'd known the girl, he'd gotten quite attached to the polite young lady.

"I don't really know. It... It hurts to walk or stand on it. I'm kind of messed up at the moment, aren't I?" The child said quietly.

Stan sat next to the girl at that point, there wasn't much of the journey left anyway.

"Now don't you worry. Professor Snape will fix you up nice and good." He said kindly, a smile gracing his face, "Y'know, I used to be a Student of his. He knows his stuff, he does."

Rivera seemed to take comfort in this and a smile slowly came back onto her pale face. The bus slowed to a stop and Stan stood, holding a hand out for the preteen to use to balance herself on. The silver-eyed girl tapped on the driver's window first.

"Goodbye Dre, Ernie, tha-nks for the ri-de, it w-was exciting." Rivera croaked out, pressing a hand to her throat.

Ernie seemed to turn and smile at the polite young lady, it had been years since someone had taken the time to thank him for a journey. Dre Head grinned at the girl, which Rivera found slightly comical, and replied.

"No problem, young one! Keep in touch won't you?!"

Rivera nodded with a grin, she liked this bus, it was brilliant. Taking hold of Stan's hand once more, the dark-haired girl limped out of the Knight Bus, Stan didn't seem to mind her burnt hand and that made her happy. The conductor stepped off of the bus first and helped the underweight girl down, she was too small for her age and it was noticable. Rivera turned a grateful smile in Stan's direction.

"Th-anks for all the h-elp, S-Stan, you're th-the first person who's been so ni-ce to me in ye-ars." She said quietly.

Stan bent down to her level and looked her in the eye. "It's not a problem, Rivera. You know how to find us should you ever need the services of the Knight Bus again. Or, if you just want to talk. I only ask one thing."

Rivera nodded for him to continue.

"Remember to write, I want to know how you do at school." Stan grinned.

River returned his grin and nodded enthusiastically.

"Goodbye, Stan." She said, gripping him around the waist in a one-armed hug.

"Goodbye, Rivera." He replied, gently patting her back.

Stan lightly pushed the small girl towards the entrance of The Leaky Cauldron, and watched as she cautiously opened the door. He stepped back onto the bus and the last Rivera heard was the telltale _"Take it away Ernie!"_ that was now so familiar to her.

* * *

Rivera entered the dark-looking pub and looked around in wonder, she noticed the bar, which doubled as a check-in desk, and moved around the dark-wood tables to reach it.

"E-Excuse me, I-I need a r-room, please." She stuttered out at the hunched-over man working the bar.

The man grinned at her and called over one of the women that was waitressing with a gesture. The woman had curly strawberry-blonde hair and a kind smile. Reading her name tag, Rivera noted her name was Rose. She seemed to take in Rivera's appearance, including her make-shift sling and burnt hand, before speaking.

"So it's a room you need deary?" She asked, and continued at Rivera's nod, "Right-o. Room eleven is available, just for tonight at the moment, I'm guessing?" Another nod, "Okay, that's a Galleon a night."

Rivera looked confused for a moment before she remembered the letter in her pocket and wordlessly handed it over to the woman. Rose unfolded it and began to read.

_To whom it may concern,_

_Regarding all expenses that are required for this Hogwarts student, Rivera Y. Woods, she is on the official Hogwarts Bursary for all living and educational expenses while she attends school._

_Simply send all bills for purchases to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and we will immediately transfer the necessary amount to you._

_Thank you for your cooperation,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Rose nodded at the letter, folded it back up and placed it back in Rivera's hand. The preteen placed it straight back into her pocket.

"Right then, if you'll just follow me, I'll show you to room eleven." The waitress smiled.

Rivera felt rather happy as she was shown to her room for the night, and once she was let in the door and given a key, she walked straight over to the bed and crawled up onto it. It was so soft. Like nothing she'd ever felt. She fell straight to sleep, feeling safe by herself for the first time in years.

* * *

_That was long. I've been writting that one practically all day! I made some mistakes with the Knight Bus in the last chapter and had to go back and fix them and then, I realised that Stan Shunpike was a really undeveloped character! AHHHHH! AND THEN, I realised that I had to work in Wizarding Currency! That was... Interesting to say the least. I guessed the Galleon thing. I really don't know how much a room at The Leaky Cauldron would cost for one night. It's never said._

_Hope you enjoyed the new chapter, see you in a couple of days,_

_~Midi~ xx_

_Please review._


	5. Chapter 5

_Hiya, guys! Sorry about the delay with this chapter! I got in at 1am sunday morning and I tried writing a new chapter up for you all but I only got about a page written before I was falling asleep at the keyboard. Long story-short, sleep debt and exhaustion. Gotta love them LOTR marathons! 12hours of solid awesomeness._  
_Anyway, so I tried again last night and did actually finish it but I didn't have the energy to start the edit and upload process. But here it is! Sorry about the wait!_

_Thank you to Guest for your review! You were the first one, yay for you! :)_

_Also thank you to spacetired for fave and following! YAYZ!_

_Enjoy the new chapter and the appearance of an awaited character! (Though he may be very OOC to you guys.)_

_~Midi~ xx_

* * *

~A** fire in silver eyes~**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

****Waking up that morning was like something from one of Rivera's nightmares. Her entire body ached with exertion and the darkness in the room seemed to surround her, pulling her in. There was no light through the windows, the curtains were shut tightly and their thickness kept even the smallest streams of sunlight from entering the room. If there was any. Perhaps it was still dark? Perhaps the moon was only now just lowering in the sky? Rivera couldn't tell. It had been so long since she'd seen the moon.

Slowly getting up from the oversized bed, the preteen stumbled across the room to the curtains and pushed them back with her burnt hand, hissing at the contact. Rivera stared out the glass pane as the full moon gazed back at her, it's round, glimmering form low in the sky. There didn't seem to be a cloud in site and the stars shone from their dark canvas. Now that there was some form of light in the huge room, Rivera checked the clock on the nightstand. Three am. The young girl held in a frustrated sigh.

Ever since she was a child – a younger child – Rivera had discovered her strange, and often absent, sleeping habits. The nights that she didn't sleep at all were the worst. Staying awake in a basement on a broken mattress in a darkness that felt like in her swallowing you did something terrible to your mind. It made you feel like you would never be safe in the dark. And gradually, instead of it just being the inability to sleep that kept Rivera awake, it became the fear too.

But then some nights, like tonight, the preteen would only be asleep a certain, and short, amount of time. These were the nights that Rivera didn't mind because although she would wake up alone and in the dark, she would feel a little stronger than a night where she didn't sleep at all. But it was also these nights that Rivera dreamed. That she saw the terrible things that happened, the things that she drew and wrote about on pieces of dirty and ripped paper. This was what made her hate those half-sleeping days.

And lastly, there were the extremely rare nights. The special ones. Where the silver-eyed girl would crawl straight into her bed when her working day was complete and not wake again until dawn, just as the sun was rising. These were the days when the exhaustion caught up and she almost tumbled down the stone stairs of her basement. They became the nights that turned into mornings where she would drag her weary body up the stairs into the kitchen.

But seeing this bright moon now, surrounded by thousands of stars, Rivera believed she could come to love the nights when she couldn't sleep.

Turning back around, Rivera faced the interior of her room. The bed was big, much bigger than anything she'd ever seen. It had clean white sheets piled neatly on top of its dark wooden frame. The bed had posters that made it seem too much for her, it was more like something a princess would sleep in from a story she'd heard at school. Next to the padded bed was a small bedside table that held a small, round clock and held two draws. Across the room was a dark wardrobe, it easily towered over the small girl. The floor she stood on was wood but it felt smooth under her bare feet. Near the bed there was another door, the waitress had said that it led to the en suite bathroom. Rivera couldn't believe she was in a room with a bed and a bathroom. She'd never slept in a room so magnificent, looking over it now, she let out a small sob. She'd really done it, she was gone from that place.

Calming herself down before the metaphorical floodgates opened, Rivera headed towards the bathroom, hoping to have a bath before meeting with Professor Snape. The bathroom was simple, but pretty. The flooring matched that of the bedroom's and the walls were a deep-sea blue, as opposed to the bedroom's lighter blue-white walls. The room had a small cupboard pushed against the wall near the door, a white sink, toilet and bath/shower set. All the taps where a silver coated metal with a gold '_H'_ or _'C'_ on them, for '_Hot_' and '_Cold'_. Rose, the waitress, had told Rivera that the small cupboard was magic and if she put her clothes in there, they'd be washed and dried by the time she got out the bath. Rivera wanted to know how that worked, so much.

Rivera carefully took off her sling, wincing at everything her arm touched, stripped down, put her clothes, carefully, into the cupboard and got into the bath, turning the shower head on. She didn't want to waste the pub's water, especially if Hogwarts was paying for her room for her. She didn't want to seem ungrateful or selfish. Grabbing the complimentary soaps, Rivera washed herself down, watching the water turn grey and red with the dirt, dust and blood that was dotted over her frail frame. Her burnt hand seemed to split open slightly from overuse, and the silver-eyed preteen quickly finished up by washing her hair. The burns were stinging by the time she'd finished, but she had never felt so clean.

Stepping out, Rivera made sure to place more weight on her right leg; standing in the bath to wash had been painful enough, she didn't want to aggravate her unknown leg injury even more. The area around the suspected fracture was even more bruised than she'd last seen it and looking upwards, she saw more and more painful patches of bruises. The 'fall' she'd taken had done a huge number on her, but remembering the bed she slept in, it made it all worth it. She'd met some wonderful people, and that alone, was enough.

Walking over to the cupboard, Rivera took out her clothes and noted that they were perfectly clean. They felt soft and warm to the touch. The dark-haired girl pulled on her clothes with some kind of practised precision from years of injuries. She avoided moving her broken arm until she had to place it back in the sling, easing the limp limb into a bent position, she re-tied the bandage around it and fastened the material around her neck. Finally, she slipped her jacket over her bony shoulders, she felt cold and the familiar material comforted her. Though, only having one arm in its sleeves was strange to her.

The young girl went over to the sink to discover a toothbrush and some minty toothpaste, brushing her teeth, she couldn't help but feel much better. But the blood that washed out of her mouth disturbed her. It wasn't from her gums, but from cuts that had re-opened inside her cheeks. She hadn't had a toothbrush in ages. At home, she just about managed to keep her teeth clean by using tiny amount of toothpaste on her finger when she was supposed to be cleaning the bathroom.

Looking through the bathroom's small window, Rivera could see the sun rising, and decided to go watch it before she headed downstairs. Walking back out of the bathroom and into the bedroom was slightly more difficult than she remembered. Her leg gave way as she walked out the door and she had to hold onto the frame to avoid falling to the floor. As Rivera neared the big window, she noticed a wooden chair that she hadn't seen before and sat down in it to watch the sun.

It was amazing. When she'd been living with Micheal and Vicki, she'd never had the chance to watch the sun's ascent into the sky. Sure, she could see the light while she cooked breakfast but she never had the time to sit and enjoy the view.

The golden light seemed to spread across the entire sky, clouds became a multitude of colours and the sky swirled in a mix of yellow, gold, orange and pink. Rivera closed her eyes for a second when the sun had risen fully, and felt the warm glow reflecting on her face. She hoped Hogwarts had views like this.

Opening her eyes, Rivera decided that now would be a good time to go downstairs. The pub catered to people all hours of the day, so the dark-haired girl hoped that they didn't mind her standing around. She was slowly becoming used to being able to sit in chairs and sleep on beds but it was still an odd concept to her, and she still felt spikes of fear whenever she did.

Rivera slipped on her shoes and picked up her bag and key from the night before, she didn't know if she would be staying here for another night or not. As she opened the door to walk out of her room, she felt faint. But she paid the feeling no heed and locked the door behind her. Her hand ached but she didn't look at it. She hated looking at the burn skin, she just wanted to forget.

Walking down the stairs wasn't as hard as it had been at home, the steps were closer together, and there was a rail that she could grip. As she reached the bottom, she saw the smiling face of Rose, who, noticing that the young girl was having trouble walking, helped her over to a seat.

"Sit down, sweety, you look like you're about to fall over!" Rose exclaimed with concern, "Would you like a hot chocolate? We keep a supply for Hogwarts students when they come in."

Rivera nodded, thanking the kind woman, and watched as Rose went into what she assumed was the kitchen behind the bar. She came back out quite quickly, carrying a small, round tray with a light blue mug. The strawberry-blonde haired waitress placed the cup down in front of Rivera with a smile.

"Enjoy!"

Rivera nodded again, she wasn't up to speaking, her throat felt tight and uncomfortable. The silver-eyed girl studied the cup in front of her. It was an ice-blue colour that turned dark blue when she placed her fingers on it. Rivera enjoyed drawing patterns on the hot china mug while waiting for it to cool down. Eventually, she decided to take a sip. Rivera had never had hot chocolate before but it sounded wonderful. The taste was smooth and sweet on her tongue and the warmth felt comforting on her fingers. She let a smile slip onto her face and put her head down, her black hair falling into her face, to hide what she knew was becoming a grin.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a man walked in. Rivera's grin immediately dropped and she her hand put down the mug and fell to her lap, the skin tightened under the burns as she formed a poorly made fist. She was scared.

Deciding to risk it, she turned her head slightly towards the man, trying to not make it look obvious. He was a tall man, not as tall as others, but he held himself with confidence, his back straight and his head high. His hair was the same colour as hers, black, but shorter, it just about brushed his shoulders. His skin was pale, and he wore long black clothing that seemed...

_"Black robes that seem to billow behind him."_

He was talking to Rose quite familiarly, as if he'd been here many times. He asked her something and she pointed towards Rivera, who had now fully looked up, but was trying not to look into the man's dark eyes. His face seemed to hold an eternal scowl and something inside the young preteen wanted the man to smile.

The man started to walk towards her, and unconsciously, Rivera curled into herself on the chair, lowering her eyes and making herself as small as possible. The man in the black robes stopped in front of her. Rivera seemed to gain some kind of confidence back during the time he stood over her and looked up.

"A-are... Y-you P-Profes-sor S-Snape?" Rivera croaked out, her voice cracking with each word. Her burnt hand flew to her pale throat and her held it there, lowering her head, ashamed.

"I am." His voice was steady and powerful but not unkind. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down in a flourish of black clothing. "Who has hurt you, child?"

He waited for her answer and when none came, he gently placed his hand beneath her chin and lifted her head. With the other hand, he took her burnt limb from her neck, noting the dark bruises there, and held onto it, mentally assessing the damage.

"Who has hurt you?" He asked again, looking deep into her silver eyes. He almost gasped at the sparkling orbs. They gleamed with swirling emotions and their beauty captured him, but it was the sheer force of hurt inside them that held his gaze there.

The young girl still didn't speak and he had to wonder how much it hurt for her to speak, and so, the Professor tried a different tactic, hoping to make this easier on the girl.

"Was it your parents?" He enquired, eternally hoping that wasn't the case, but he knew, he knew, that it more than likely was.

He was rewarded with a hesitant nod and a frown placed itself upon his face. He hated it when they discovered abuse cases where the victim was abused by family members. It reminded him too much of his own home life, and the days when he would wish for anyone to come and save him. Severus took in the burnt appendage he held and the arm that lay limp in a make-shift sling. The bruises and cuts that were scattered around the silver-eyed girl's face, and the dark circles that lay under her eyes.

"Would you mind if I looked at your injuries?" Severus asked.

Rivera shook her head, she remembered what Stan and Professor McGonagall had said about this man and if he could actually help, she would let him.

Severus motioned for her to stand up and she did so, they walked towards the stairs and at first it was fine. But then, Rivera felt as if something had stabbed her and her leg gave way, pushing her into the Potions Master beside her. Severus quickly caught the girl after hearing her cry of pain and held her against his chest for a moment while she caught her breath.

"Your leg too?" He questioned as he helped her steady herself, placing his arm around her shoulders to give her something to lean against.

Rivera nodded and looked sad. The sheer desperation on her face made Severus feel an immense amount of sorrow for the girl. He felt the need to help rise inside him and tried to reassure her as they walked up the stairs, taking them one step at a time.

"It will all be fine. Your safe now." But the sentence felt incomplete and the Professor heard himself adding something, "I'll look after you."

The smile that Rivera threw him made it feel worth it. But as they walked, he noted that he could feel her bones under her clothing and he saw how tiny she actually was when she was next to him. For a horrifying moment, Severus wondered what might have happened to the bright-aura-ed girl if she hadn't replied to her letter. If they'd never discovered her. Severus didn't want that thought to pass through his mind ever again.

They reached Rivera's room and Severus took the key from her as she attempted to unlock the door. He didn't want her to do much of anything until he knew every injury she had. Pushing open the door, Severus led the young preteen inside and sat her down on the bed. The Potions Master pulled out his wand and waved it, a chest appeared in the room. Rivera gasped in excitement. She'd never seen magic before but even that slight bit had her hooked. It was amazing.

Severus turned as he was opening the chest, to see a look of wonder on the young girl's face, he couldn't help but give a small smirk at her expression.

"It is wonderful, is it not?" Rivera nodded rather enthusiastically at that and Severus almost gave a small laugh. Almost.

"Right. If you'll just remove your clothing and lie down, I can examine you."

The silver-eyed girl blushed at that sentence and shifted. Severus, under the bright lighting of the room, looked over the girl. Her clothes were rags and everything was entirely too big for her. A thought popped into the Potion teacher's head.

"You... Do have undergarments, yes?"

Rivera's blush deepend and she lowered her eyes. Severus sighed quietly, unconsciously thinking up ways to torture the muggles who had wronged the poor girl. Grasping his wand he transfigured some of the spare sheets across the room to a pair of female briefs and a cropped vest so he could see her ribs. The Professor placed them on her lap and turned around.

"Get changed, carefully, I'm not looking, I promise." He said, kindness lacing his voice.

Rivera did as she was asked, and changed into the underwear. It was difficult to maneuver the cropped vest around her broken arm but she managed. She sat back on the bed when she was finished and stammered out a single word.

"D-Done."

Professor Snape turned back around and walked towards her, his robes billowing behind him. He took in the major injuries and huge patches of bruises that covered the obviously malnourished girl in front of him and waved his wand over her, performing a diagnostic spell. Writing began to appear on a piece of translucent parchment in front of him.

_'Malnourished,_

_Underweight,_

_Major bruising to left leg, bottom two ribs on both sides, left shoulder and shoulder-blade, lower back, stomach and throat,_

_Fractured thigh bone, at mid-point of left leg,_

_Cracked ribs; bottom two on both sides,_

_Dislocated shoulder (Has been relocated),_

_Broken arm; left arm, two places – wrist and above the elbow,_

_Sprained right wrist,_

_Second degree burns to entire right hand,_

_Bruised larynx,_

_Numberous minor cuts,_

_Numberous bruises.'_

Severus closed his eyes at the list, almost in physical pain himself. To do this to a child... It was unhuman. The Potions Master looked at the abused girl in front of him and got to work.

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_Hope that one was alright, guys! I have to admit that I had some trouble approaching the last part and had to look up a couple things on strangulation... I remind my readers that this is my first published abuse!fic._

_Until next time!_

_~Midi~ xx_

_Please review._


	6. Chapter 6

Hi guys! Sorry It's been so long, I've been trying to sort out my future. I applied for University, got declined, applied for College again, got a conditional offer, generally stressed about everything, started working Cover again (they need me when they need me, y'know?), and got another University interview. And now I'm like 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHH!' and O.O but still. Here I am and here's an update.

Warnings: OOC Severus, OC character Rivera, results of abuse and the care of them.

Note: I do not own Harry Potter or any information regarding it.

Enjoy!  
~Midi~ xx

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_**~A fire in silver eyes~**_

_**~Chapter 6~**_

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Severus looked at the young girl in front of him, wondering where to even go about starting on her injuries. The most severe were obviously her broken and cracked bones. He quickly waved his wand and a bottle of disinfectant, some pristine, white clothes and many bandages appeared on the bed-side table next to him; floating out of the open chest on the ground. The Potions Master peered at Rivera's right hand. Though it was black in places, it seemed to be more from a combination of the burnt dust and dirt stuck to her skin. That explained why the diagnostic was for second-degree and not third. Though, by the looks of the skin, if the young Witch's hand had been near the flame much longer... Severus didn't want to think about what would become of her hand. Refocusing back on Rivera, the teacher took in her anxious eyes and gave her a smile.

"This is nothing I can't fix, do not worry, young one." Rivera gave a small smile that warmed Severus' heart and he looked back at the list in front of him, "If you could just sit up against the headboard, I'll bind your ribs first. Luckily, you haven't damaged them any further with all the traveling you've done over the past day."

Rivera tried to do as she was instructed. She really did not want to inconvenience this man before her, he was so kind and helpful towards someone like her. A _freak._ And he didn't seem to mind being near her. Micheal never liked being near her, he only touched her to hit her. And Vicki called her evil. The silver-eyed pre-teen's thoughts turned darker and more self-hating as she realised she couldn't even sit up. A sharp thought crossed her mind. _'If Micheal was here, he'd hurt you for this.'_

As if sensing her worries, Severus spoke, "I will not hurt you, child, can you not get back up?" Rivera shook her head as a negative, "Then I shall help you, hold still."

Severus leaned over the much younger girl and carefully placed his arms under her knees and around her shoulder, effectively picking the new Witch up and placing her against the headboard at an angle that was easier for him to wrap gauze around her ribs at. Picking up the disinfectant, Severus swabbed at the area of Rivera's ribs, her torso was a mass of small scrapes, cuts and bruises. The Potions Master swapped the bottle of liquid for a tub of salve from the chest and rubbed the cold cream carefully on the dark bruised that covered Rivera's pale skin. Severus then took a long strip of rolled up gauze and began to carefully wrap the bandage around the girl's waist, up to the cloth that covered her chest. He paid attention to each wince of pain the young Witch tried to hold in and made soothing sounds under his breath, telling her that it was okay that it hurt.

Next, Severus summoned some splints from the chest, the sooner Rivera's limbs were straightened, the sooner she'd heal. Holding the young girl's left arm in his much bigger hand, Severus examined the bruise on her shoulder that indicated that it had been dislocated before today. Dipping his fingers back into the bruise salve, the emerald-eyed man rubbed it into the bruises that dotted themselves from the Witch's shoulder to her hand.

While placing splints on either side of her upper and lower arm, Severus broke the silence by asking a question. "Would you like to talk? There is a spell I use when I'm treating a patient who cannot use their voice. Of course, it has many other uses as well..."

Rivera nodded quite rapidly for someone who was almost gravely injured, and Severus found himself smiling again. Pulling out his wand, he began to think. What was it about this girl that made him smile so? And why would anyone want to hurt her? The Potions Master stopped that trail of thought before the overprotective urge he'd been holding down could force itself through.

"_Loquendo Mentes_." Severus whispered, placing the tip of his wand against Rivera's temple. (_Speaking minds.)_

Rivera felt something wash over her, a protective and kind aura seemed to envelope her entire being and suddenly, she could hear a voice in her head. A kind, wise voice, one that she'd been hearing for the past couple hours. It was telling her to speak in her mind. She felt the need to _think_ her speech as if she was talking and decided that it really couldn't hurt to try. She looked into the eyes of the Potions Professor before her and _thought_.

_"...H-Hello?" _She questioned, cautiously.

_"Wonderful, child, you're doing wonderfully. Your voice is strong and clear. Much clearer than it should be for someone looking as tired as you are right now." _The Potions Master raised an arched eyebrow in question as he wrapped the bandages around Rivera's newly splinted limb, placing a pillow beneath her arm to keep it elevated.

_"I... I'm fine." _She 'whispered'.

But Severus could see the lie in the young girl's eyes, she was anything but _fine _at this moment in time, still, the need to protect the new Witch in front of him rose up again, and he couldn't do anything to stop the feeling reaching her mind.

_"Can I ask you something?" _Rivera questioned in a small voice, her tone taking on the sounds of concern and worry.

Severus looked up from splinting the child's leg, the damaged limb had been used far too much and he feared for its recovery. The bruising around the area was substantially large and dark but luckily, the break itself, much like those of her arm, were clean. However, that meant that there was muscle damage to Rivera's other leg through overuse, and that concluded in the muscles being much tighter and harder than they should be. Severus didn't pause in wrapping the gauze around the silver-eyed child's thigh, but still mind-spoke to her in a soothing voice. If he finished quicker, she could sleep, and at the moment, that looked like all she wanted.

_"What is it, child? You can ask me anything." _The teacher reassured, inwardly worried about what question the young Witch would ask.

Rivera lowered her eyes, seemingly unable to meet Severus' gaze any more, but he placed a hand under her too-thin face after he tied the bandage and her eyes met his again. It was the first time the Potions Master had truly been able to _look_ into the young girl's eyes since meeting her and he had to stop himself from gaping at their beauty. At first glance, her eyes just appeared silver, unusual, but pretty. Looking closer now, Severus could see they were so much more. From the pupils, the iris' showed small specks of black but the silver in her eyes looked as if it belonged in the foreground. There was a ring of midnight black surrounding each silver speckled eye that made them look much bigger and more innocent that Severus would think a child of abuse would carry. Her silver orbs looked light a scene from the night sky, one an evening where there was too many stars in the dark canvas that caught the light of the moon. The silver sparkled under any form of light and Severus could swear he got lost in them. Rivera's thoughts in his mind brought him back from the eternal lights that seemed to rest in her eyes.

_"Why... Why are you helping me?" _She questioned, _"Why are people helping someone like me?"_

Severus did not like the sound of her question, and couldn't help himself asking, though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer. _"Someone like who, child?"_

Rivera seemed to take a deep, shuddering breath. _"A freak."_

The Potions Master could swear he couldn't see from the rage that was building in his body. Some _coward _had told this wonderful child something like that? And enough times to make her believe it, apparently. Severus instantly calmed down when he saw the young girl flinch before him.

_"I am not angry at you, young one, more at the disgraceful people who have done this to you. You are NOT a freak. And you did not deserve this. No child deserves anything like this." _Severus explained, his eyes showing the knowledge of someone who has _been there_ and Rivera wanted so much to believe him. And somehow, she knew that she could.

The young Witch found herself giving a watery smile while Severus took her burnt hand in his soft, white palm and began cleaning off the burnt dust with careful ease. Rivera winced a few times during the process and the Potions Master sought to take her mind off of the pain.

_"Why don't you tell me about your journey on the Knight Bus?" _He questioned, softly.

Rivera nodded in agreement, a smile slipping onto her face at the thought of her new... Her _first _friends. She launched into the tale with much vigour, 'talking' about how big the bus was, and the friendly people that she'd met, the magic she could feel all around her while she was riding the bus, and how wonderful the staff were.

_"You know Mr. Shunpike, don't you, Sir?" _Rivera questioned the man in front of her, as he dabbed disinfectant into her patchy, red hand.

_"I do. In fact, he was one of my Students. A prefect in his final three years, in my own house. He helped a lot of the returning and new students. Especially ones that came from situations not so different from your own." _Severus explained.

Rivera looked confused at some of the terminology he had used, so the Potions Master took it upon himself to explain some of the ways of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

_"Prefects are students who are chosen in their fifth school year they are __given extra authority and responsibilities by the Head of House or Headmaster. One male and one female student are chosen from each house in their fifth year to act as prefects, and will continue to be prefects in their sixth and seventh years until they leave school. Thus, there are approximately six prefects per house, and twenty-four prefects in the whole school at one time. The Head Boy and Head Girl may be chosen from among this number and may not be replaced, but the Head Boy or Girl does not have to be a prefect. The Head Boy or Girl are the students who carry authority over the Prefects, other than the Head of House and Headmaster, of course." _

Rivera looked quite happy to be receiving so much information about the school she would be attending. The young girl had almost completely forgotten about her burnt hand during the speech but how she drew her gaze back to it. The burnt dirt was cleared and the skin underneath did not look as bad as she thought it might. Parts of her skin were missing and her once pale hand was practically entirely red but it was no longer blackened. She watched as Severus carefully rubbed in the ointment and began wrapping gaze around her hand and fingers. The head of Slytherin house saw her watching and caught a glimpse of the curiosity that still rested in the child's eyes.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?" He asked verbally, to bring her attention away from her damaged limb.

_"What are the Houses like? Could you tell me more about them?" _Rivera asked quietly in his mind.

Severus nodded and began casting his thoughts to her, in his soft, soothing, deep voice. _"The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is divided into four __houses__, each bearing the last name of its founder: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. "_

Severus trailed off for a moment, seeing a smile creep across Rivera's face at the mention of Slytherin. It was a happy smile, one Severus saw in only a few students. He shook his head and continued his explanation.

_"At the start of each year, on the day thee new students come to Hogwarts, they are sorted into one of the four houses by having the Sorting Hat placed on their head. Each house contains a different type of Student, and they are all sorted by their personalities and where the Sorting Hat most thinks they would fit it. Your house becomes your family, and you're stuck with them for seven years."_

Seeing the young child's smile became wider, Severus couldn't help a small smile slip himself, just this small amount of information was making her so happy. The Slytherin wanted to see that smile more, so he kept talking, keeping the words simple but the story long.

_"Professor McGonagall is the current Head of Gryffindor house, Its emblematic animal is the lion, its colours are red and gold, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as "Nearly Headless Nick" is the house ghost. The particular characteristics of students Sorted into Gryffindor are courage, chivalry and determination and the house corresponds roughly to the element of fire._

_"The Head of Hufflepuff is Pomona Sprout. The Fat Friar is the House's patron ghost. Hufflepuff is the most inclusive among the four houses; valuing hard work, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than a particular aptitude in its members. Its emblematic animal is the badger, and yellow and black are its colours. Hufflepuff also corresponds roughly to the element of earth._

_"Filius Flitwick is the Head of Ravenclaw. Members of this house are characterised by their wit, learning, and wisdom. Its house colours are blue and bronze, and its symbol is the eagle. The house ghost, who in life was the daughter of the house's founder Rowena Ravenclaw, is the Grey Lady. Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air._

_"And lastly, The Head of Slytherin house is myself. Traditionally, Slytherin is home to students who exhibit such traits as cunning, resourcefulness, and ambition. Its emblematic animal is the snake and its colours are green and silver. The house corresponds roughly with the element of water and our house ghost is the Bloody Baron."_

"Did you understand all of that, child?" Severus asked, looking up at the young girl's sleepy grin.

_"I did. Thank you." _Rivera yawned, nuzzling her head into the pillow, _"Could you tell me more about Slytherin?"_

_"Of course." _Severus smiled, _"But first, let me transfigure something for you to sleep in."_

Spying a draw underneath the bed, the head of Slytherin pulled it open to find a dark, forest-green sheet. Tapping on it with his wand, he wordlessly re-designed the sheet into a nightgown, which ended just above the knee and had slightly poofy princess-like sleeved. Rivera's eyes lit up at the sparkling nightdress, and as Severus spelled it onto her, she couldn't help but squeal in joy in his mind.

"I take it that it's to your liking?" The head of snakes asked with a happy smirk. His only answer was another high-pitched squeal.

Severus patted the pillow and Rivera lay back down almost immediately. The raven-haired man took in her pale appearance and decided their trip to Diagon Alley could wait until he knew she was up to it. Tucking the blanket around her, Severus began to run his hand through the dark locks of Rivera's hair. She flinched at first but soon discovered that the Head of Slytherin meant no harm. Leaning into the touch, she smiled.

_"I haven't smiled this much ever. Thank you, Mr. Snape." _She thought.

_"You can call me Severus, if you prefer, child. We are friends, are we not?" _The over-enthusiastic nod he received almost made him laugh. Almost.

Seeing the silver-eyed girl warm in bed and wide-eyed, ready for a story of Slytherin house, Severus finally continued.

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Well. I hope you enjoyed that chapter! A couple notes; Speaking Minds is a spell I made up and any information regarding Hogwarts was either written from memory or taken from the Harry Potter Wiki. So yeah~

See you soon!  
~Midi~ xx

_Please review._


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